Apparatus for electrically treating gases.



NO. 775,123. PATENTED Nov. 15, 1904.

' K. BIRKELAND.

APPARATUS FOR ELEGTRIOALLY TREATING GASES.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1903.

' 5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Fig.1., I

K. BIRKBLANDL PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

APPARATUS FOR ELEO T RICALLY TREATING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1903.

5 SHEETS-BHEBT a.

no MODEL Jig. K1

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e [BEECH (LY/1;tvmzddim -7 L, 1r :1 q S No. 775,123; PATENTED NOV; 15,1904.

K. 'BIRKELAND.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIGALLY TREATING GASES.

' APPLICATION PILIED JUNE 15, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

K. BIRKELAND. APPARATUS FOR BLEGTRIGALLY TREATING GASES.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 15, 1903.

I0 MODEL.

5 SHEETSSHEBT 4.

r c v PATBNTED NOV. 15, 1904.

. Ki BIRKELAND. APPARATUS FOR ELEOTRIGALLY TREATING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1903.

' 5 SHEETSSHBET N0 Menu.

warren grates latented November 15, 1904.-

Parsnr rricn- APPARATUS FQR ELECTRIGALLY TREATING GASES.

":Z PECIEIGATION forming atter Letters Patent no. 775,123, datedNovember 15, 1904.

Application filed June 15, 1903. Serial No. 161,616. (No model.)

To (tZZ whorm it may concern.-

it known that I. KRIsTIAN BIRKELAND, a subject oi'the King of Sweden andNorway, residing at (Jl'iristiania, Norway, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Treating Gases;and i do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of 'reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

ii iy invention relates to a means for producing eiectrical arcs'of thelargest possible surface and to the utilization of such arcs for thepurpose of chemical reactions in gases or mixtures. I have found in myinvestigations in this held that chemical reactions on such vapors, maybe produced in an indusbriefly-profitable way if the area of atween thegases and the arcis made My great per time unit. For this rea- .yinvention involves as one of its fealie means for the production of sucharcs dcient area. y invention also comprises the means for such are toact upon-such fluids and sue 1 other features, means, and combinationsot' parts, will be hereinafter set forth, and poin e i cut in theclaims.

in the drawings accompanying this specifi- *iun, Figure 1 is adiagram,drawn in the term of a perspective View, illustrating the method. Fig. 1is a view of a special form oi electrodes used to form the arcs. Figs.2, '3, 4., and 5 forms of illustrate a number or the electrodes andarrangements used in connection therewith. Fig. 6 is an elevation, andFig. 7 a plan View, of a special arrangement of the electrodes. Fig. 8is a vertical cross-section, and Fig. 9 a horizontal section, oi anapparatus for oxidizing gases, Fig. 8 is front elevation of the tubularhousing in which the gases are treated MEig. 10 is a vertical section,and Figflla horizontal section, of another form of apparatus embodyingmy.

invention.

An apparatus embodying my invention, broadly considered. comprises meansfor causing the arc to be formed within a powerful magnetic field,asillustrated in the diagram l Fig. 1. In this figure, M represents anelectromagnet. (one pole of which is broken away,) and C C electrodeswhich are situated in the field between the two poles of the magnet Mand transversely to the flux or lines of force of said'magnet M. Undercertain conditions by such an arrangement when a current is sent throughthe electrodes C 'C an arc will be formed of the shape indicated by thedotted lines A, the are being in the shape of a disk at right angles tothe lines of force of the magnetic field. To obtain this result, I havefound it advantageous in case of currents of high voltage-for instance,ten thousand voltsto let the poles of electrodes 0 C have a distancefrom each other of a few millimeters. If direct currents are used, therewill, without any mechanicalinterruption of the current. ordinarily beformed in succession a very great number ofsuch arcs, hundreds persecond.) If alternating currents are used, there will be two systems ofsuch arcs, one-half of the arcs being formed .on the under side of theconductors and one- It is found preferable half on the top side. toprovide the electrodes at the ends of the conductors with strips ofplatinum B, fixed to the point of each electrode and forming an anglewith the electrode, as indicated in Fig. 1, where these strips are shownto be arranged in the manner of arrow-heads. It a current of lessvoltage is made use of-say, for instance, a direct or alternatingcurrent of six hundred volts or less-l have found it desirable toarrange the electrodes C C in such way that their poles are in rapidsuccessioncaused to intermittently approach and then to recede' fromeach other a short or greater distance-say, for instance, a part of amillimeter or more. I prefer to cause them to approach sufficiently tocome into contact with each other. By such arrangement arcs similar tothose described with reference to Fig. 1 will be formed and will bethrown violently upward or downward.

(up to several 60 are limited by the stop F.

The arrangement of the electrodes for the purpose of giving the requiredvibratory movement to one or both for the purpose of the above-describedintermittent rapid ap.

5 preach and recession of the points of the electrodes may be indifferent ways, and I have, for the sake of illustration, shown in thedrawings a number of arrangements which may-be made use of..

In Fig. 2 the vibratory electrodes consist of two springs E E, whichwhen in the position shown touch each other at the points. A stop Fbelow the spring E serves to limit its downward movement, and a stop Fabove the spring E serves to limit its upward movement. The same resultmay be obtained by an arrangement as shown in Fig. 3, where, instead ofthe two stops F, and F, a single stop F is placed between the points ofthe electrodes E F. This stop is made of conducting material and isplaced at an angle to r the electrodes, indicated. 'hen an alternatingcurrent of suitable strength is passed through the vibratoryspring-electrodes at 5 one time, the spring-electrode IE will be thrownupward and at another time the spring-electrode E will be throwndownward. This is due to the fact that when the positive wave of thecurrent is passing through both 3 electrodes the magnetic fieldinteracts with said positive wave and tendsvto move bot-h. electrodes inone direction: but as only one electrode is free to more in a givendirection only this elect-rode moves, the other remaining stationaryagainst its stop. 'hen the negative wave passes thirough the electrodes,the tendency of the interaction between the current and lield is to giveboth electrodes a movement in'the d i reel ion opposite to theprior 40one, and since only the other eh -rode is free to move in this directionit will re moved by the interaction of current and field, while thefirst-mentioned electrode will be stationary. A circuit-ln-eaker systemof such simplicity '45 can only be used when theintensiliesarecomparalively great for instancc,'over twenty ai'nperesper cu-rrcnl breaker and it isdesirable in this case, for the sake ofsafety, to im- ."part to the electrodes a periodical limited lon- 5gitudinal movement in order to prevent the possibility of weldingtogether or union ol the comact-p'ieces, in which case currentinterruptions could. ol course, not take place. -lt' low intensities areused, this way of interruption is only available when the currentisCflllMtl to pass through a few windings ---t'or instance, as indicatedin Fig. 4, where \V \V indicate the windings,'cach in series with itsrespective electrode 1C E, whose movements By suitably arranging thewindings transverse vibrations might, of course, also be imparted to theelectrodes as well as an oscillatory movement with res ect to thelongitudinal axis of the i:l""i,i0llt$, it this is desired. Thecontactprime mover or source of power. 'shown.) It carries radial armsG, which are points between the electrodes should be located in thiscase on an arm projecting out from the axis.

Instead of automatically operating the circuit-breaker above referredto, other means may be used to produce short contact inter .veryconveniently be produced by means of a small motor with eccentric gear.A suitable vibrating-movement in the longitudinal direction may also beproduced. by providing the electrodes with extensions (iron rods)reaching out of the magnetic field and adapted to be drawn into a spiralcoil through which the main current passes, as shown, for example, inFig.5, in which E E are ,the electrodes, the former being attached linea core of electromagnetic material, which is movable'within a coil w inseries with said electrode. A spring Z may serve to bring the electrodesin contact with each other, as shown, for example, in Fig. 10. On a current impulse said iron rod will be attracted and drawn into the spiralso as to break or weaken the current, whereupon the electrode isreturned to contact with the other electrode by the action of thespring. This means of interruption may be used both for direct cur-Another rent and for alternating current. means would be to cause thedisk-shaped arcs to be formed within a cylinder, the contact between theelectrodes being produced by rotation. Qne system of electrodes might,For instance, be fixed on the inside of the cylinder-and a c rrespondingsystem of electrodes adaptednto revolve about the axis of the cylinder,so as to make contacts in rapid suc -ession. it would be suitable inthis case tor ispose the magncti'c field in an annn: lar form around thecylinder-axis by means otcurrent-coils. in this instance the diskshapedarcs will form planes parallel to the axisol' the cydinder. A furtherarrangement would be to cause an annular system of electrodes to rotatebetween the poles of an electroinagnct perpemlicularly upon the linethrough the centers of both pole planes,as illustrated in 6 and 7. Inthese figures L represents a shar't which by suitable means may be putin rotationas, .for example, by a pulley driven 'by a belt from anysuitable (Not electrical conductors or electrodes and terminate incontact-springs ll. 1 represents sta:

bodily touch each-other.

tionary electrodes terminating in similar conclose and break thecircuit. This system of circuit-breakers is disposed between thepolepieces of the electror wnet M, as indicated in Fig. 7. For currentsof rather high voltage it is not necessary that the contact-pieces ofthe electrode should during the revolution It is only necessary that thedistances be so short as not to cause When a current ofv very highvoltage is used, the electrode systemG need not even revolve, but may bestationary at some distance from the elec- :trodes I.

1n Figs 8 and 9 I have shown, in vertical and in horizontal section,respectively, one

1 form of apparatus for carrying out my inven- "tion for the purpose ofoxldizmg the nitrogen contained in air, said apparatus comprising, vbesides the means for dilating or spreading the electric arc, means forbringing thje fluid to beacted on into contact with such earci'n theform of a current of such fluid which is carried into contact and pastsaid are.

3 ranged the .means for supplying the fluid to Inthese figures, Mrepresents an annular .electromagnet. Instead of an electromagnet abattery of steel magnets may be used. Between the poles of theelectroniagnet is arbe acted on in the form of a tubular housing *0,which is divided into a series of vertical channels P by partitions R,which alternately extend to the top and the bottom plate and alternatelyleave a space open between their ends and said plates, so that a zigzagchannel is formed, through which air is passed. (See Fig. 8.) Thehousing and the partitions within the same should wholly or partly bemade of insulating and fireproof material. Within each of said channelsI" are placed one or more pairs of electrodes or circuit-breakers of thekind above referred tc for instance, such as described with reference toFig. 1 or Fig.

' 21 If using electrodes of the latter kind or other electrodes with anintermittent motion and when an alternating current of suitable strengthis passed in parallel through all the it will cause at one time a hichsuitable inin the circuit,) downward moveme nt )f one of the electrodesand another time an upward movement of the other electrode,

circuit-breakers, (in fro t of ductive resistances a1 so that frequentthough very short contact interruptions will be produced. Now the peeculiar phenomenon above referred to will be noted that even though thecontacts are only a fraction of a millimeter apart the arcs will at oncebe thrown violently downward or upward and the space filled up withdisk-shaped arcs. The base-points of the outermost arcs I will extendalong the platinum wires B, Fig. 8, toward their ends, and it dependsupon the oscillatoryveloc ty of the circuit-breaker,

I upon the power of the magnetic field, and upon the current intensityhow far the arcs will extend before a new contact is made and theprevious arcs are extinguished. When a current of very high voltage isused, the current may be sent partly or wholly in series through thewhole set of circuit-breakers. If a direct current is used, only oneelectrode remains at rest, and it is preferable in this case not toplace the latter in the middle of the magnetic field. The air may bepassed either directly in parallel through all the flat channels or inseries through the same, as shown in Fig. 8 oi the drawings, the airpassing in this case upwardly past the first arc, downwardly past thesecond, upwardly past the third, and so tni In this way the samequantity of air will make contact with a great number of arcs. If it isdesired to bring the gases into contact with a still greater number ofarcs, a plurality of such are systems having each their separateelectromagnet may be arranged at suitable intervals from each other andin vertical or horizontal rows.

In Figs. lOand 11 is shown amodified form.

of apparatus for oxidizing gases in which the electrodes are vibratoryin a horizontal direction, being, pressed yieldingly toward each otherby any suitable means, such as the 1 springs Z, and drawn outwardagainst the springs by the interaction between. the current in the coilsW and the respective cores 6*, which are secured to the ends of theelectrodes E E The remaining elements of construction are like thoseshown and described in connection with Fig. 9.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

l.' The combination, with means for producing a magnetic field, of meansfor producing an electric are in said field, and means for passing acurrent of gas into;contact with and past said electric arc.

2. The combination, with means for producing a magnetic field, ofelectrodes located in said field, means forsupplying electricity to saidelectrodes, and means for passing a currefit of gas past saidelectrodes.

3. The combination, with means for producing a magnetic field, of a pairof vibratory electrodes mounted in said field and arranged to produce anare between their terminals, means for supplying a current to saidelectrodes, and means for supplying to said elect rodes a gas to beacted upon by said arc..

4. The combination, with means for producmg a magnetic field, of a pairof electrodes electrodes. l 5. The combination, with means forproducmounted in said field, means for supplying a electrodes.

ing a magnetic field, of a pair of electrodes mounted-in said field,means for supplying a current to said electrodes, and means forimparting a rapidvibratory motion to one or both of said electrodes soas to cause the points of said electrodes vto come into'contact witeach" other.

6. The combination, with means for producing a .magnetic field, of apair of electrodes mounted in said field, one at least being vibratory,and means for supplying a gas to said 7. The combination, with means forproducing a magnetic field, of a plurality of pairs of electrodesmounted in said field, each pair being arranged toprod uce an are, meansfor supplying current to said electrodes andmeans for passing a currentof gas past said arcs in series.

8. The combination, with means for producing a magnetic field, of a pairofelectrodes mounted in said field, means for vibrating said electrodesand means for supplying a current to said electrodes 9,. Thecombination, with means for producing apowerful-magnetic field, .of apair of electrodes mounted'in said field, means for vibrating saidelectrodes, means for supplying a high-voltage current to saidelectrodes and means for supplying to said electrodes a gas,

12.' The combination, with means for producing a magnetic field, ofvibratory electrodes located in said field, means for supplyingalternating current to said electrodes, and means for supplying a gas tobe acted upon by said electrodes.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set In hand in presence of twoWitnesses.

KRISTIAN BIRKELAND. Witnesses:

HENRY BORDEWICH, Jon. VAALER.

